Their Forbidden Promise
by MasterYodaOfYaoi
Summary: Before Sephiroth was driven mad by the truth of his birth, he was a good man. One who had made a certain promise to a certain blonde boy from Nibelheim...


Okay, it's cute and weird and lame all at the same time.

Hope you like it! 

**-ooo-**

"You were my hero! You were everything to me!" Cloud cried angrily, wishing he had his sword. Instead, he was being held in the air by his neck. The powerful, yet delicate hand belonged to man who was responsible for so much of Cloud's pain: Sephiroth.

"Cloud Strife…I remember the first time I saw you. You were a little boy in Nibelhiem. I had just saved your town and you had asked for my autograph in front of everybody," Sephiroth smiled, obviously intent on taking them down memory lane.

"Shut up and let me go! I don't care-" the grip on his neck tightened so he couldn't breath then weakened. It was a casual threat to shut himself up.

"But you came to my camp after dark. Remember?" Sephiroth's smile was delicate and his eyes, after such a long time, held a sweet, delicate hue.

**Flashback**

"Oi, Seph! This kid here wants to see you!" Angeal shouted, then lowered his voice to a soothing tone, "Alright kid, go on in."

"Thank you mister!" a child's voice chirped. Sephiroth didn't have time to put his trench coat or armor on, but he didn't care to anyway. He liked the chill of the north. He was washing his face when a familiar, bright-blond kid walked into the room.

"You…I know you. You're…Cloud Strife, right?"

"Y-yessir!" he piped up in response, blushing.

"Calm down, you're just a kid. Only my men call me sir."

"Then…what should I call you?"

"Hmm, how about…Mr. Sephiroth?" the general grinned. He - surprisingly - liked kids. They were adorable in their naivety, but it was more than that.

Kids never really hated.

Kids never started wars.

Kids didn't kill.

"Anyway, what'd you want? I already gave you an autograph," he laughed, "Or what, do you want a kiss too?"

It was meant to be a joke.

"Well, yeah…actually," Cloud mumbled in embarrassment, thinking the adult was laughing at him.

"You want a kiss?" Sephiroth's smile disappeared and his face frowned seriously. Cloud's eyes brimmed with tears and he hid his face beneath balled up fists.

"I'm sorry, it was stupid! I just thought you'd say yes so I snuck out and-"

"Your mother doesn't know you're here? Why didn't you tell her?" Sephiroth walked briskly over to the boy and had gotten on his knees; he placed a hand on Cloud's shoulder, staring him in the eyes.

"She doesn't want me to see you at all after…" Cloud slammed a hand over his mumbling lips and looked back at the man. Sephiroth put his other hand on his other shoulder.

"Go on, tell me."

"You've been my idol for three years now and a couple months ago I told my mom that I wanted to marry you when I grow up!" he shouted, rushing the words out of his mouth. The general released him, eyes wide in shock.

"M-marry me?" he stammered, chuckling. He was used to women saying this, from preteens with braces to middle-aged wives with Gaia knows how many kids.

But boys who hadn't even hit puberty yet?

This was new for him.

"I know…I'm st-stupid," he whimpered, starting to sob.

"No, it's just…" he felt so guilty for making the little one cry, "What about girls? Aren't there any girls?"

"Girls are ick-icky. Some girls…in m-my class have these we-weird, squishy balloons on the-their chest and, and they try to h-hug all the boys in our cla-class. Most e-everybody likes it…but I think they're na-nasty. And…all the oth-other girls t-tease me about being s-so little," he explained. Sephiroth instantly burst into laughter, practically howling as he rolled onto the ground.

"H-hey, it's not nice t-to laugh!" Cloud cried miserably, glaring at him with a bottom lip that jutted out in a pout. The man caught himself and hushed his outburst to mere giggles and he sat up.

"I'm not trying to be mean, Cloud Strife. You're just…so cute," he admitted, hiding his smile behind a gloved hand. He closed his eyes, expecting to hear a spluttered thank you, but instead heard silence and shuffling of feet. He opened his eyes to see blond hair, outstretched arms and a joyful grin flying towards him. Before he could do anything, little lips were smushed messily against his and arms slammed into his hard chest uncomfortably for the both of them.

"Strife…get off," he mumbled angrily. The boy, instantly frightened of the tone, jumped back and held his arms close to him. His face was pale and confused as he watched the grown man wipe off his lips.

"What…the hell?" he swore, disgusted. That was the sloppiest, nastiest kiss he had ever had. It was like being kissed by an overly-friendly dog.

:I-I'm sorry. It's just…you said I was cute and I thought that meant…it was okay…to kiss you," he broke into more sobbing. Sephiroth was still angry – but for a different reason – when he pulled the boy's arm down so he would fall into his lap. Cloud, using Sephiroth's shoulder to keep him steady, got up on his knees and peeked at him through flooded eyes.

"What are you-"

"First, stop crying and clean your face up. Can you do that for me?" Sephiroth's angered tone had dropped to a gentle whisper. The boy nodded and rubbed a fist in his eyes to get the tears out and sniffed away the last of his whimpering cries. The skin around his eyes was still red and puffy from crying, but it couldn't be helped. Strong arms wrapped around the boy's waist delicately and Sephiroth gave him a small smile.

"Now, I want you to copy me. Your kiss was utterly horrible and if you have any hope for a love life, you'll do as I say. Alright?" he commanded, his SOLDIER attitude starting to show through his words. Cloud cocked his head at him, not completely sure of what was going on. His head was at the perfect angle, so Sephiroth leaned his head forward to give the boy the kiss he had come for. His lips grazed against the other pair and moved lightly, just enough to give it a drifting feeling. It shouldn't have stirred any yearning in either of them. It was only enough to make Cloud Strife drift off from reality. He felt like he was a kite in the sky, soaring majestically for everyone to see, or the first bite of a candy bar, promising the rest of it could never be good as him.

"Mmn," he sighed, wrapping his arms around Sephiroth's neck. Sephiroth decided to pull his lips away before he got carried away. Cloud licked his lips innocently, trying to get the last taste of Sephiroth's lips. It was almost better than ice cream.

"There, that was much better, right?" he smirked, noticing his dreamy expression.

"That was the best thing in the world," Cloud muttered, "Um…can I ask for something else?"

"Sure, why not? It's not like you'll ask for us to make babies, right?" he panicked after saying it, "Wait, that's not it, right?"

Cloud shook his head, "Only girls can make babies, anyway."

"Alright, then what is it?"

"When I grow up…after I join SOLDIER, can we get married?"

"Wha-what?" Sephiroth, again, stammered nervously. Cloud pecked him on the lips sweetly and gave him a big, blushing smile.

"I'll marry you, okay? That way, neither of us hafta worry about nasty girls," he suggested, "But you can't kiss anyone else! Deal?" Sephiroth started thinking on what his next move should be. He would most likely never see this kid again and if he did, the boy would've forgotten the promise. He might as well have fun with it.

"Fine, but we're sealing it with a kiss." He tapped his lips as he spoke, to support his words. Cloud brightened up like sunshine and attacked him an excited kiss, sealing their promise. He would never tell his mother or anyone else he knew, but he would always know that when he grew up, he'd get to marry Commander Sephiroth, savior to thousands and the greatest man in the world…

**End of Flashback**

"Do you remember that promise, Cloud?" Sephiroth demanded. Cloud looked away, ashamed that his younger self could've loved such a monster.

"Do you?" Sephiroth repeated, more urgently. The blond nodded stiffly. Sephiroth pulled him closer, enough to whisper in his ear.

"I haven't kissed anyone since then." Blue eyes widened in surprise and memories of a previous love returned. Tears started to slide down his cheeks without his consent and he started to shake with sobs. Sephiroth hesitantly set him on the ground, watching him wearily. That face looked the same as it had all those years ago. He hated looking at it.

He hated that he had caused it.

"Cloud." He wrapped his arms around the younger man and gave him an old, out-of-practice smile. The blonde looked up at him, confused. He didn't know what to do anymore.

"What are you-"

"First, stop crying and clean your face up. Can you do that for me?" he whispered, using the same words as before. Cloud knew that if he obeyed, then he'd be kissed and…where would it go from there?

"Sure," he agreed, wiping the tears from his face until they were completely gone. Sephiroth moved his hands to cup Cloud's face.

"Good, now do I have to teach you again…or do you know how it works?" he teased. Smiling, the blond grazed his lips against his beloved. No matter what, even when he hated him, a part of him - the part that had promised to marry him – had always loved the great general.


End file.
